In this episode, I sit down with Lorna Little, President and CEO of St. Anne’s Family Services in Los Angeles. Lorna leads an organization that touches the lives of thousands of families facing housing insecurity, young mothers seeking stability, and children who need a safe start.
Our conversation goes deep into what it means to lead from both lived experience and professional training. Lorna shares how her own journey as a young mother and adoptee fuels her mission to build programs that change lives for the better. She explains why balancing high support with high accountability is not a feel-good slogan but a daily discipline that keeps her team effective and her community served.
We talk about the real cost of not supporting families early, why leaders must stand firm in their power even when feedback stings, and how caring leadership still demands measurable results. Lorna also reminds us to protect our own energy, nurture our creative sides, and never forget why we started this work in the first place.
If you have ever wondered what true, heart-centered nonprofit leadership looks like behind the budget lines, you will find so much wisdom here.
Take a moment to listen, reflect, and share this episode with someone who cares as much as you do.
About Lorna
A driving force behind the organization’s “Thriving Families: Brighter Futures” motto, Lorna Little, MSW serves as the President and CEO of St. Anne’s Family Services where she has developed innovative programs for children and families since 2018. With a focus on underserved communities that often live in the shadows, she has a successful history of leading and developing exceptional programming that addresses the physical, behavioral, and emotional components that lead to an optimal life trajectory.
Lorna has extensively worked with parenting youth, youth in foster care, and in all aspects of adoption. Leveraging her Master’s Degree in Social work, licensure as a clinical social worker, and a Post Master’s Certificate in Foster and Adoption studies, she creates quantifiable results for those who St. Anne’s serves. Further demonstrating her diverse expertise, she has served as a training professional, adjunct college professor, and cultural diversity program manager, which helps her lead during this time of change and evolution in our world. She continues to advocate to remove systemic barriers to ensure success for children and families. In order to work effectively and have an impact, Lorna believes that you have to care for the children and families wholeheartedly—believing that the work and the resiliency of the program participants can bring about life-changing transformation.
Lorna proudly utilizes her professional and lived experience to provide the leadership and guidance to carry out vision and strategy for St. Anne’s Family Services. With her dynamic Executive leadership team and a fantastic team of staff, she implements initiatives and services to achieve positive outcomes. Tackling Early Childhood Education, Supportive Housing, including Residential, Transitional, and Permanent, Mental Health Services, and Family and Community-Based programs, Lorna’s leadership will have lasting impacts for generations to come.
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About Heather R Younger, J.D., CSP
Heather R Younger, J.D., CSP is a highly sought-after speaker, 2x-TEDx speaker, diversity, equity and inclusion strategist, and contributor to leading news outlets. She is also the Founder and CEO of Employee Fanatix, a leading employee engagement and consulting firm. After over 25,000 employee engagement surveys and years of working with organizations to transform employee engagement, here’s what Heather has seen over and over: When you know how to listen, employees will tell you exactly what they need to bring their full selves to work. Book Heather to speak at your event or organization.
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